In this guide
Create a Feed post with one photo or a photo carousel, select the available music control, choose a song and excerpt, then preview before sharing. For your own audio file, prepare a video with the soundtrack first.
To add music to an Instagram post, start a Feed post in the Instagram app, select your photo or photos, and look for Add music or the audio control while editing or on the share screen. Choose an available song, select the excerpt and preview your post before publishing. The location of the control can change with the app version and account.
Meta announced music for Feed photos and photo carousels. A Story and a Reel use separate creation flows, so their controls may look different.
Choose a workflow
| What you are sharing | Where to add music | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| One Feed photo | Use the music control offered during post creation. | Song availability, the chosen excerpt and preview. |
| Several Feed photos | Select multiple photos for a carousel and look for the music control. | Photo order and whether the song option appears for your account. |
| Your own recording | Combine it with a visual in a video editor before upload. | Exported audio, publication rights and the resulting video format. |
| A Story or Reel | Use the relevant Story sticker or Reel audio controls. | Balance with any original voice and review platform notices. |
Add music to a photo post
- Start a Feed post. Open Instagram, start creating a post and select a photo from your device.
- Continue through editing. Crop or adjust the photo, then look for Add music or an audio control on the editing or share screen.
- Choose a song and excerpt. Search or browse what Instagram offers your account, select a track and use the available controls to choose the part you want.
- Preview and share. Check the image, song, excerpt, caption and audience. Listen with sound enabled before posting.
If the control is absent, check the creation flow and current app version. Availability can vary by account, location, content type and licensing; do not assume a track shown to another account will be available to yours.
Add music to a photo carousel
- Select multiple photos. In the Feed post flow, use the multiple-selection control and choose the photos in the order you want them displayed.
- Review the images. Continue through the available editing screens and check the order and crop before selecting music.
- Choose an offered song. Find the music or audio control, select a track and excerpt, and preview the post. If the option does not appear, verify whether it is available for that particular selection and account.
Meta's announcement specifically describes photo carousels. Do not assume that a carousel containing video has identical music options: test the actual selection and use a permitted alternative if the control is unavailable.
Add your own music or voice to a post
- Choose files you may publish. Use a local audio recording and an image or video for which you have the necessary permissions. Keep the originals.
- Make a video project. Import the visual and audio as separate timeline items in an editor. If using a still image, set its duration to cover the audio excerpt.
- Trim and balance. Position the audio, check the beginning and ending, and reduce music beneath any speech. Listen to a quiet sentence as well as the loudest moment.
- Export and upload. Play the saved video outside Instagram, then select it in the appropriate Instagram creation flow and review the preview before sharing.
This creates a video with sound embedded in it; it does not upload a song to Instagram's licensed library or guarantee a reusable audio entry. The audio trimmer can prepare a short mono or stereo MP3 or WAV locally, up to five minutes and 50 MiB. Choose the excerpt and download format, prepare and download the file, then import it into a video editor. See how to add audio to video for the timeline workflow.
Fix missing or unavailable music
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Add music is missing | Confirm you are creating a Feed post, check the editing and share screens, and update the app. The option may differ by account, region or content selection. |
| Music appears for one photo but not a selection | Review the selected media and the controls available for that post. Meta's documented announcement describes photo carousels; mixed media may behave differently. |
| A particular song cannot be selected | Choose a permitted alternative offered to your account. Availability may change and commercial uses can have different requirements. |
| Your exported video is silent | Play the exported file outside Instagram and check playback volume. If it is silent there, inspect the editor's audio track and export settings. |
| Music is muted after publication | Review any Instagram notice, check your rights and replace the music if necessary. Embedding a track in a video does not bypass platform restrictions. |
Music rights and commercial use
Listening to a song, crediting an artist or possessing a file does not automatically grant permission to publish it. Check rights for the recording and composition, and Meta's current rules for your account and intended use. A business post, promotion or advertisement can have different requirements from personal sharing.
Common questions
Can I add music to several photos in one post?
Instagram supports music for photo carousels, as described in Meta's announcement. Select multiple photos, then use the music control if it is available for your post and account.
Can I add or change music after publishing?
Post editing options can vary by account and version. Check the post's current Edit controls; if the desired option is not offered, prepare and review a revised post before sharing.
How do I add music to a Story or Reel instead?
See the Instagram Story guide for the Music sticker or the Reels guide for its audio workflow.